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Lawmaker elected to GOP study committee

Jeremy AlfordCapitol Correspondent

Published: Friday, November 16, 2012 at 9:09 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 16, 2012 at 9:09 p.m.

BATON ROUGE — U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise has beat out a fellow Republican congressman from Georgia to become the next chairman of a conservative coalition on Capitol Hill that advocates for its own policies.

Scalise, a Metairie native who represents southern Terrebonne-Lafourche in the 1st Congressional District, described the Republican Study Committee as the “conservative conscience of the House.”

He’s the first Louisiana congressman to chair the caucus in modern times and only the second chairman-elect who managed to buck the selected pick of the group’s past chairman and founders.

It’s a tradition that favored Rep. Tom Graves this year, but the study committee’s members sidestepped the recommendation and moved Scalise into the top seat of influence.

Having just won his third term with 66 percent of the vote, Scalise will take over the caucus with the start of the 113th Congress in January and through 2014.

In the past, the caucus has proposed its own version of the federal budget and issued research papers, but Scalise said it has the opportunity to play another role, especially as Democrats take control of the Senate and White House again.

“The American people chose the Republican House to serve as the only line of defense against (President) Barack Obama’s liberal agenda, and the (study committee) must stand tall as the conservative rudder, steering the House toward more conservative solutions as we work to get our country back on the right track,” he said.

Scalise has been eyeing the chairmanship for some time and got a boost over the past year when he was selected to oversee the GOP’s recruitment efforts in the House.

He traveled the country to vet potential candidates and ready them for the campaign process.

With many of those new faces heading to Washington, D.C., and a new term around the corner, he added that the study committee could help set the tone.

“We must unite as conservatives around our shared beliefs of economic opportunity for all Americans through lower taxes, controlled Washington spending and more individual freedom,” Scalise said.

With more than 160 members, the study committee is the largest multi-issue caucus in the House Republican conference.

Despite its size, Scalise said there are opportunities to create a single voice.

“The stakes are too high and the consequences too grave for us to fail at this mission,” he said.

“Steve Scalise will be a strong voice for the conservative solutions House Republicans were elected to champion,” Jordan said. “His leadership will be critically important as we work to strengthen the economy and defeat the debt. I wish him the best of luck in his new position of leadership.”

Scalise, 47, serves as deputy Republican whip and went into the recent study committee election serving as the caucus’ communications chairman.

He also sits on the House Energy and Commerce Commerce, where he has made a name for himself as an avid supporter of expanding domestic oil and gas exploration.

Besides the local precincts, Scalise’s 1st Congressional District includes the parishes of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany, and portions of Jefferson, Orleans and Tangipahoa parishes.

<p>BATON ROUGE — U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise has beat out a fellow Republican congressman from Georgia to become the next chairman of a conservative coalition on Capitol Hill that advocates for its own policies. </p><p>Scalise, a Metairie native who represents southern Terrebonne-Lafourche in the 1st Congressional District, described the Republican Study Committee as the “conservative conscience of the House.” </p><p>He's the first Louisiana congressman to chair the caucus in modern times and only the second chairman-elect who managed to buck the selected pick of the group's past chairman and founders. </p><p>It's a tradition that favored Rep. Tom Graves this year, but the study committee's members sidestepped the recommendation and moved Scalise into the top seat of influence. </p><p>Having just won his third term with 66 percent of the vote, Scalise will take over the caucus with the start of the 113th Congress in January and through 2014. </p><p>In the past, the caucus has proposed its own version of the federal budget and issued research papers, but Scalise said it has the opportunity to play another role, especially as Democrats take control of the Senate and White House again. </p><p>“The American people chose the Republican House to serve as the only line of defense against (President) Barack Obama's liberal agenda, and the (study committee) must stand tall as the conservative rudder, steering the House toward more conservative solutions as we work to get our country back on the right track,” he said. </p><p>Scalise has been eyeing the chairmanship for some time and got a boost over the past year when he was selected to oversee the GOP's recruitment efforts in the House. </p><p>He traveled the country to vet potential candidates and ready them for the campaign process. </p><p>With many of those new faces heading to Washington, D.C., and a new term around the corner, he added that the study committee could help set the tone. </p><p>“We must unite as conservatives around our shared beliefs of economic opportunity for all Americans through lower taxes, controlled Washington spending and more individual freedom,” Scalise said. </p><p>With more than 160 members, the study committee is the largest multi-issue caucus in the House Republican conference. </p><p>Despite its size, Scalise said there are opportunities to create a single voice. </p><p>“The stakes are too high and the consequences too grave for us to fail at this mission,” he said.</p><p>The sitting study committee chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, congratulated Scalise in a news release. </p><p>“Steve Scalise will be a strong voice for the conservative solutions House Republicans were elected to champion,” Jordan said. “His leadership will be critically important as we work to strengthen the economy and defeat the debt. I wish him the best of luck in his new position of leadership.”</p><p>Scalise, 47, serves as deputy Republican whip and went into the recent study committee election serving as the caucus' communications chairman.</p><p>He also sits on the House Energy and Commerce Commerce, where he has made a name for himself as an avid supporter of expanding domestic oil and gas exploration. </p><p>Besides the local precincts, Scalise's 1st Congressional District includes the parishes of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Tammany, and portions of Jefferson, Orleans and Tangipahoa parishes.</p>